Day-Lewis remarkable in 'Lincoln'

The actor provides us with a complex leader who is fond of repeating humorous anecdotes; secretly struggles with depression; has troubled relationships with wife and oldest son; and often is kind and understanding, but can be blunt and demanding when necessary.

Based: in part on the book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Running time: 149 minutes

Rating: PG-13 (for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language)

Where: Entertainment Cinemas in South Dennis and Regal Cinemas in Hyannis

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A few Union soldiers, fresh off the battlefield, are talking to Abraham Lincoln during one of his visits to the troops. And all of a sudden, as a tribute to their respected leader, they start repeating from memory the Gettysburg Address.

The scene occurs at the beginning of "Lincoln," and already I'm thinking, "Uh-oh, Steven Spielberg is at it again."

Did this really happen? Doubtful. It seems much more like the kind of exchange you'd find in a cornball movie. And that's the problem with Spielberg at his worst: He calls attention to the hands of the puppeteer when he lays it on thick to pump up the emotional impact of a scene. Think of the way a crowd parts so perfectly, like movie extras following instructions rather than acting like real people, when the blinded kid walks toward his long-lost equine buddy in "War Horse."

Spielberg's "Lincoln" overcomes this inclination, however. Yes, there are times when the film seems more a somewhat artificial TV miniseries — "Look, it's Tommy Lee Jones in a wig!" — than a reflection of real life. But the film still qualifies as a triumph for Spielberg, thanks to its intricate, little-known (I imagine) political story and vivid performances by Jones, Sally Field, Jared Harris, James Spader and, especially, Daniel Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis seems a shoo-in for at least an Oscar nomination, if not a win, for his work as Honest Abe.

Despite its title, "Lincoln" isn't strictly a character study; it focuses more on a specific point in time — 1865, as the Civil War is wrapping up — and the president's efforts to get the 13th Amendment passed to officially end slavery. There's an urgency here because Lincoln knows that it will be more difficult to get the amendment passed once the war is over. With the abolishment of slavery being his first priority, he's willing to prolong the peace process — and continue the deaths on the battlefield — in order to ensure it.

The story — which screenwriter Tony Kushner (who regular visits Provincetown) based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" — splinters off in several directions.

There's the battle inside the House of Representatives, with Jones shining as Rep. Thaddeus Stevens. He's the film's most entertaining character, an abolitionist whose orations rip into his congressional opponents with a hilarious harshness.

There are the behind-the-scenes manipulations, with Lincoln, through his secretary of state, William Seward (David Strathairn), working with a trio of lobbyists (played by Spader, John Hawkes and Tim Blake Nelson) to "buy" votes through various forms of bribery. (This, of course, brings to mind the question of whether an honorable man is still honorable if he uses corrupt means for an honorable purpose; in this case, "Lincoln" suggests, the answer is yes.)

There's the war going on in the background, with Lincoln and his oldest son, Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), seeing the cost in life and (literally) limb. (The war-related scenes also feature Harris — son of Richard — in a fine turn as Ulysses S. Grant.)

And there's the human family drama involving Lincoln and his mentally unstable wife, Mary, dealing with the loss of a child. Field, who reportedly fought hard for the role, gives one of her best performances as Mrs. Lincoln, looking at once on the edge of a nervous breakdown and drained of life out of sorrow.

Towering above all (literally and figuratively), however, is Day-Lewis' Lincoln. Using a high-pitched voice (more in line, apparently, with the real man's than what we've heard in other movie interpretations), Day-Lewis provides us with a complex leader who is fond of repeating humorous anecdotes; secretly struggles with depression; has troubled relationships with wife and oldest son; and often is kind and understanding, but can be blunt and demanding when necessary.

It's yet another remarkable performance from the chameleonlike Day-Lewis ("Gangs of New York," "There Will Be Blood," etc.), and while there are many reasons to see "Lincoln," it's the foremost one.